In the telecommunications industry, a Local Exchange Carrier (LEC) is used to originate a customer's telephone call. An Inter-Exchange Carrier (IEC) provides long distance service for customers. The customer selects a Preferred Inter-Exchange Carrier (PIC) when ordering service from the LEC. The LEC enters a code for the selected PIC in its class 5 or class 4/5 switch that serves the customer. The PIC code is assigned to the switch port that supports the customer's access line. When the customer makes a long distance call by dialing 1, the LEC switch automatically routes the call to the PIC.
Obviously, being selected as the PIC for customers is very important to an IEC. When an IEC signs up a new customer for long distance service, it sends a PIC order to that customer's LEC. This is a request for the LEC to change the customer's PIC code assignment in the LEC switch, so that the customer's dial 1 long distance calls are automatically routed to that IEC.
The problem with this PIC order process is that it requires up to three days to complete. In today's competitive environment, this is much too long, resulting in lost revenue for the IEC and customer dissatisfaction. From the time the new customer's order is entered into the Order Entry System, until the time the LEC Switch is updated, every dial 1 long distance call made by the customer is routed to the old IEC, previously designated as the PIC. This represents lost revenue for the new IEC, newly selected by the customer for the PIC. It also presents potential for customer dissatisfaction, since the customer is not able to use their newly selected PIC for their dial 1 long distance calls. A significant improvement in the PIC order process is needed to address these problems.
PIC orders are one example of the type of customer information exchange that occurs among telecommunications companies. Other applications suffer from the delays encountered with prior art methods of customer information exchange. For example, FYI's refer to messages sent by a LEC to an IEC, when the PIC for that IEC's customer has changed to a new IEC. It is important for the old IEC to know this immediately, so that they can follow up with the customer to determine why the customer has selected a new PIC. For another example, it is common for an IEC to send inquiries to a LEC for customer information, such as addresses or selected services. These applications would also benefit from an improvement in the method of customer information exchange among telecommunications companies.